Sole laying and pressing machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet '1.

' J. A. HORTON. v

SOLE LAYINGAND PRESSING MACHINE.

No. 416,620. Patented Dec. 3,1889. 7

llll WITNESSES]:

N, PETERS. Phntbl-m npher, WilhingIpn. D. C.

5 Sheefis-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. A. HORTON.

SOLE LAYING AND PRBSSING MACHINE.

No. 416,620. Patented Dec. 3. 1889..

J.A.IHORTON.

SOLE LAYING AND PRBSSING MACHINE.

No. 416,620. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.,

FIGS" 7 5 i (No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet a.

WITNESSES. NVENTUF].

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J. A. HORTON. SOLE LAYING'AND PRESSING MAGHINE. 110.416.6320.

Patented Dec. 3, 1889'.

o-u lm npher. Wamin mn, tut;

' (No Model.)

. v 5 mal -s J. A. TON. SOLE LAYING AN ssm e MACHINE. No. 416,620. Patented Dec. 3 1889. W

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HORTON, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

sou-z LAYING AND PRESSING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,620, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed July 3, 1889. Serial No. 316.370. (No model.)

chines for pressing cement-coated soles upon lasted uppers and inner soles of boots and shoes, and holding said outer soles in close contact with the inner soles and uppers while the cement is setting or hardening.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple, efiicient, and rapidly-operating machine adapted to perform the described'oper- ,ation; and it consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawlngs, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a sole-laying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a front, elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the machine, showing the last depressed and the pressing-pad raised. Fig. 4c represents a rear elevation of a portion of 'the machine, the pulley f being removed.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line w ac, Fig. 3, looking downwardly. Fig. 6 represents a view similar to Fig. 3, the last being raised. Fig. 7 represents a sectionon line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 8 represents a section on line z .2, Fig. .3. Fig. 9 represents a section on line 5 .2, Fig.3

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The fixed supporting-frame of the machine consists of two vertical side pieces a (1, adapted to be attached to the floor or any suitable support, and the horizontal bed or table I), affixed to the upper ends of said side pieces.

0 represents the jack, whereby the last which holds the boot or shoe is supported during the pressing operation. Said jack is composed of a guide or base 2, and the adjustable last-supporting standards 3 4 on said guide. The guide 2 rests on a carrier d, to

which are rigidly attached two downwardlyprojecting rods 6 e, which slide in guidingorifices formed for them in the bed b. Said orifices are extended laterally to form tapering cavities g g beside the rods 6 c, said cavities being made tapering and largest at their uppr ends by tapered gibs ff, inserted in the orifices. In the tapered cavities g are frictionrollers h h, which are pressed downwardly by springs ti and normally bind on both the rods e and tapered gibs f, and are thereby caused to support the jack-carrier at, so that when the jack is raised, as shown in Fig. 6, by means of a foot-leverj and a rod is and chain Z, connecting said lever with a cross-bar or, connecting the rods e e, the rollers h h support the jack at any point to which it may be raised. The chain Z passes over a pulley m, journaled in ears on the bed b, so thatdownward movement of the foot-lever j raises the j ack-carrier and jack.

The devices thus far described enable the operator to raise the jack and bring the outer sole 0 on the lasted upper supported by said jack into contact with the sole-pressing pad 12. Said pad may be of any suitable construction, and is here shown as a flexible diaphragm attached to strong cast-iron box or casing q, containing a body of Water or other liquid 0, said liquid constituting a cushion which supports the diaphragm and enables it to conform exactly to the shape of the bottom of the last and inner sole.

The box or casing q is provided with ears 8 s, which are fitted to have aslight independent vertical movement between shoulders t t on two vertical rods u to, which slide 'in guides or sockets o c on the end of the bed I), and are connected at their lower ends with a horizontal cross-head w. The cross-headis connected by a rod a with a crank 72' Fig. 1, on a driving-shaft c, and is moved up and down by the rotation of said shaft and crank, the rods to u and the diaphragm box or carrier q being moved up and down withit'. vTo the cross-head w are affixed two upwardlyprojecting fingers cl d, which project into the roller-containing cavities g g in the bed I), and are adapted to displace the rollers h h when the cross-head is raised, as shown in Fig. 3, and thus disengage said rollers from the gibs f and rods e, so that the rods will be released and the jack-carrier will drop onto a cushion e, provided for it on the bed I), the last being thu s separated from the diaphragm, as shown in Fig.

On the driving-shaftc is a pulley f,which is normally loose on the shaft. A clutch or friction movement is provided, whereby the pulley f may be engaged with the shaft by an act of the operator and released automatically after a given movement or rotation of the shaft, so that the machine is automatically stopped at a given point in its operation. I prefer for this purpose the friction movement shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me July 4,188.2,No. 260,394;

but I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as any other suitable automatic stop-motion may be employed. Said patented friction movement comprises a many-sided collar A on the shaft c,'a concentric recess B in the center of the loose pulley, a series of friction-rollers C, located in the space between said recess and collar, and a disk or ring D, fitted to rotate on the shaft 0 and provided with fingers projecting into the recess and the rollers C, said disk being provided with a spring or springs, as shown in said patent, whereby the rollers are normally forced into the narrower portions of the space between the recess and collar, and are thereby caused to connect the shaft with the pulley, so that the pulley will rotate the shaft. Said disk or holder D alsohas external projections T. The said friction movement also includes a bar or lever R, pivoted at U to a fixed support and having a shoulder R, which is normally held by a spring V in ppsition to strike one of the projections T, and thereby so displace the disk D that the friction-rollers controlled thereby will be moved into the wider portions of the space between the collar on the shaft and the recess in the pulley f, and will therefore cease to connect the shaft and pulley.

shoulder M, which, when the rod M is depressed, bears on the bar R at one side of said orifice and depresses said bar, thereby causing its shoulder Rto release the projection T previously arrested by said shoulder. The disk D is thus released and is thereupon moved by its operating-spring to throw the friction-rollers of the clutch-movement into the narrower portions of the space between the collar A and the cavity in the pulley f, thus engaging the shaft with the pulley through said rollers. A shoulder M is forced off from the bar R after the described depression of said bar by a stud R on the shaft 0, and the bar is returned by its spring V to position to arrest the next projection T, and

disk D, while in this case two projections T.

are employed, arranged at opposite points on the disk D, so that the shaft can make but a half-rotation after each release of said, disk.

The foot-lever g, supporting the rod M, is supported by a spring j, which raises the said lever and rod after the removal of the foot from the lever, thus restoring the rod M to position to depress the bar R.

represents a lever, which is pivoted at m to a standard n, affixed to the supportingframe, and is arranged to hear at one end on a shoulder 0' on the rod M, and is connected by a rod 9 with an ear q, Fig. 2, on the pad or diaphragm carrier q, said rod passing loosely through a hole in said ear q and having a nut 1" above said ear, the arrangement being as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the pad-carrier q israised by foot-power applied through the lever j, rod 76, and chain Z, and the jack-carrier, jack, and the last thereon, the upward movement of said carrier q will, through the rod 1) and lever 70, depress the bar'R and release the disk B, thus engaging the driving-pulley with the shaft 0', the latter being rotated until the pulley is disconnected from it by contact of'the bar R with the next projection T, as already described. It will be seen, therefore, that the operation of raising the jack by footpower to bring the sole into contact with the pad or diaphragm gives the pad-carrier an upward movement, which, through the described devices, effects the engagement of the -shaft c with the driving-pulley f, thus applying power to the cross-head 10 through the crank b and rod a, the cross-head being thus depressed and'caused througn the rods u a to draw the pad or diaphragm downwardly by the power of the machine on the outer sole. The jack is rigidly supported meanwhile .by the rollers h h, which are at this time released by the fingers d cl and engaged with the gibsfand rods (2, as shown in Fig; 6, so that the sole is subjected to pressure by the power of the machine, said pressure increasing until the crank 19' reaches its lowest position. At this point the driving-pulley is disconnected from the shaft and the latter stops, so that the pressure remains on the sole until the operator, by depressing the foot-lever g, again connects the driving-pulley with the shaft, and when this is done the crank b rises and lifts the cross-head 10, thus raising the pad-carrier, and at thesame time causing the fingers d cl to strike the rollers h 71, thus disengaging said rollers from the gibs f f and rods 6 e, whereupon the jack-carrier dis reof the cross-head w, caused by said engagement of r the driving-pulley with the shaft removes the fingers d d from the rollers h h and allows said rollers to lock the jack-carrier to the bed I), so that the jack is firmly supported almost from thebeginning of the downward movement of the pad or diaphragm,

the operator having to hold up the ack by the foot-lever j only until the downward movement of ,the .pad-holder and cross-head has fairly commenced. It will be seen that the provision for the slight independent vertical movement of the pad or diaphragm, carrier q between ,lars t whereby the raising of the jack by foot-power is enabled to give the pad-carrier an independent upward movement, and the connections between said carrier q and the bar R of the friction-movement, whereby the upward movement of the pad carrier is caused to apply the power pressure to the pad, enables the machine to be set in operation by the contact of the sole with the pad without regard to the size of the sole or of the boot or shoe to which it is applied, so that all sizes of boots or shoes can be treated by the machine without the necessity of any change or adaptation of the machine to fit it for any particular size. No separate operation is therefore required to apply power to the pad after the sole has been brought to a bearing thereon. It will also be seen that in raising the jack by foot-power the operator is obliged to raise the pad-carrier before the power pressure is applied, so that there will be no danger of'hi's fingers being crushed by the power pressure,sufficient' warning being given by the pressure due to the weight of the padcarrier while it is being raised by the footpower pressure to enable the operator to remove his fingers before the application of power pressure. i

To provide for a more yielding pressure of the pad on the sole than would be afforded by the elasticity of the pad, I interpose springs s s between the cross-head w and nuts or enlargements u on the lower ends of the rod u, said rods being fitted to slide in the orifices provided for their reception in the cross-head w. When the power pressure is being applied, said springs yield more or less according to the thickness or height of the sole. The cross-head is adapted to play between the nuts n' and nuts or collars n on the rods u above the cross-head.

The standards 3 4, that support the last, are fitted to slide toward and from each other the colon.the guide 2, so that the distance between said standards can be varied according to the size of the last. A lever 6, pivoted at 7 to said guide, and connected by links, 8 8 with the standards 3 4, (Fig' 5,) moves said standards simultaneously toward and from each other. The guide 2 is fitted to move on ways 9 9 on the carrier d, at right angles to the direction in which standards 3 4 are movable, so that the jack may be moved out from under the pad, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, to permit the convenient application and removal of the work.

As before stated, I do not limit myself to the water-box and its diaphragm as the pressing device, but may use any other suitable flexible or yielding pad for sole-laying purposes and any suitable carrier therefor. The machine may out soles by substituting a mold of rigid material for the being no departure from the spirit of my invention. I

The positions of the pressing may be reversed-that is to say, the last holding devices may be secured to the carrier q, the construction of the latter being suitably modified, while the pressing-pad orits equivalent may be supported by the carrier d, the general operation of the machine being as already described, the only difierence being that the pad or pressing device will be moved upwardly by foot-power against the sole, and the last and sole will be forced downwardly againstthe pad by the power of the machine.

My invention is not limited to the details of mechanism herein shown, and said details may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

be used for pressingor beating flexible pad, such substitute pad and jack.

The carrier cl may be locked in its raised position'by any other suitable locking devices, which may be moved by theoperator to lock the carrier when raised before the application of rier after the pressing operation.

The driving shaft may be started and stopped by any other suitable means either automatically or by an act of the operator, and while for obvious reasons I prefer the automatic means here shown I do not limit myself thereto. a v

The pad-holder q in the form here shown is a bottomless box having a downwardlyprojecting rib 12, surrounded by a seat 13, whichis higherthan the rib. (SeeFig.8.) The edges of the diaphragm are secured to said seat by a clamping-frame 14, and the main portion of the diaphragm is caused by the rib to project stantially flush with the under surface of the clamping-frame, as shown in Fig. 2. lhe operator can therefore readily inspect'the bottom surface of the diaphragm.

I claimi 1. In a sole laying or pressing machine, the combination of a fixed bed or .table I), a

power and-to release the cardownwardly, so that it is sub- 1 vertically-movable carrier d,a foot-lever, and connections between it and said carrier, whereby the latter may be raised by footpower, automatic locking devices supported by the table I) and adapted to support the carrier in its raised position, a holder or carrier q, located above the carrier d, saidholder or carrier q being independently movable and arranged to be slightly elevated by the upward movement of the carrier cl, powerdriven mechanism andconnections between the same and the carrier q, whereby said power-driven mechanism is operated by the elevation of the carrier q to apply downward pressure to the carrier (1 against the rigidly locked or supported carrier d, and last-hold ing and sole-pressing devices applied to said carriers, as set forth.

2. In a sole laying or pressing machine, the combination of a fixed bed or table I), a vertically-movable carrier d, means for raising the latter by the power of the operator, a holder or carrier q, one of said carriers being provided with last-engaging devices and the other with a sole-pressing device, a driving-shaft and connections, substantially as described, between the holder or carrier q and said shaft, the holder or carrier having a limited independent movement on said connections, a driving-pulley on said shaft, a friction-movement or stop-motion, substantially as described, whereby the pulley is au-v tomatically disengaged from said shaft at given points in the rotation of the latter, connections between the holder or carrier q and said friction-movemen t, wherebyjthe latter is permitted to connect the said pulley and shaft when the carrier or holder g is raised by the upward movement of the carrier d, and locking devices whereby the carrier at is secured in the raised position to which it is moved by the operator and is held against the downward pressure imparted to the carrier q, as set forth.

3. In a sole laying orpressing machine, the combination of the fixed bed or table I), the carrier 01, having rods or standards e-c, adapted to slide in guides in said table, a-foo't-leverj, and connections between it and the carrier 61, whereby the latter may be raised by footpower, a carrier q, supported above the carrier d by rods to it, which are fitted to slide in fixed guides 12 o, a power-driven shaft 0, connections between said shaft and the rods u u, whereby the carrier q may be depressed by power communicated from the shaft, means for starting and stopping said shaft, locking devices supported by the fixed table (I and adapted to engage the standards e e and thereby rigidly support the carrier (1 in its raised position against the downward pressure of the carrier q, a jack supported by one of said carriers, and a sole-presser supported by the other carrier, as set forth.

. 4. In a sole laying or pressing machine, the combination of the fixed. bed or table, the carrier cl, having vertical rods or studs adapted to slide in guideways in the table, a footlever, and connections between the same and the carrier d, whereby the latter may be raised, the locking-rollers h h, located in tapering orifices in the bed beside the said rods, whereby the carrier d is automatically locked in its raised position, the holder or carrier q, located above the carrier cl, the vertical rods u u, engaged with the holder or carrier q and having collars or enlargements between which said carrier q has an independent vertical movement, the connections between said rods 10 u and a driving-shaft c, a power-driven pulley connected with the said shaft by a friction-movement, connections between the carrier q and the said friction-movement, whereby said movement is made operative to apply power to the carrier g by the independent upward movement of said carriers, a jack supported by one of said carriers, and a sole-pressersupported by the other carrier, as set forth. v

5. In a sole laying or pressing machine, the combination of the fixed bed or table, the carrier d, having Vertical rods or studs adapted to slide in guideways in the table, afoot-level and connections between the same and the carrier d, whereby the latter may be raised, the locking-rollers h h, located in tapering orifices in the bed beside the said rods,

whereby the carrier d is automatically locked in its raised position, the holder or carrier q, located above the carrier d the vertical rods u u, engaged with the holder or carrier q and having collars or enlargements between which said carrier g has an independent vertical movement, the cross-head w, engaged with the rods to u, and having fingers d d arranged to displace the rollers h h and thereby unlock the carrier from the bed or table when the cross-head is raised, the shaft 0', having a crank connected with the cross-head bya rod a, the power-driven pulley on said shaft, the friction-movement including the pivoted bar R, connections between the carrier q and the bar R, whereby said bar is displaced to permit the connection of the pulley with the shaft when the carrier q is moved upwardly, a jack supported by one of said carriers, and a sole-presser supported by the other carrier, as set forth.-

6. In a sole laying orpressing machine, the combination of the pad carrier or holder q, the rods to u, supporting the same, the cross head w, supporting said rods, fixed guides 12 o for said rods, a power-driven shaft having a crank b, a rod a, connecting said crank to the cross-head w, automatic means for stopping said shaft at each half-rotation thereof, whereby the pad-carrier q is alternately held in an elevated and in a depressed position, devices controlled by the operator, whereby the shaft maybe started after each automatic stoppage thereof, and an independently-movable jaok-carrier adapted to be raised by the operator to bring the sole thereon into contact with the pad, a fixed bed or table located near the jack-carrier, and means for locking the jack-carrier to said bed or table in its raised position against the downward pressure of the pad, as set forth.

7. In a sole laying or pressing machine, the combination of the pad carrier or holder q, the rods to to, supporting the same and provided with collars or enlargements u 11?, the cross-head supporting said rods and adapted to play between the collars or enlargements on the rods, springs s s, interposed between the cross-head and the collars 11/ below the same, whereby the cross-head is enabled to impart a yielding pressure to the rods to u. and

the pad-carrier, the power-driven shaft 0', I

having a crank 72, the rod a,connecting said crank with the cross-head, the fixed table or support I), the jack-carrier d, and devices controlled by the operator for raising the same, a

and automatic locking devices, substantially as described, whereby the carrier d is locked to the bed-table when said cross-head is raised JAMES A. HORTON.

Witnesses:

O. E. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

